Morin

The Perfect Scots

Etienne Morin, a tradesman from Bordeaux, who plied between France and the French West Indies in America, contributed to extend the Perfect Scots system in 24 degrees (3 symbolical degrees + 21) while conveying it to Saint Domingue circa 1750. Ten years later, back in Paris, Etienne Morin took part in the re-organisation of the Grand Lodge of France. In 1761, the latter entrusted him with a patent which – under the name of the Morin Patent – sets a host of questions to contemporary historians. This document allowed him to propagate Masonry as was then practised in Paris in North America. Back in Saint Domingue in 1763, Etienne Morin, associated with Henry Franken, devoted the rest of his life (till he died in 1771) to the diffusion of the masonry of perfection in Jamaïca and in Louisiana, as a 25-degree system, which he named the Ordre of the Royal Secret (to the 24-degree system practised in France, Morin had added the terminal degree of Prince of the Royal Secret which he had personnally created).
Coming from France to North America, Free masons may meet English, Scotch or Irish Masons some of whom practise a symbolical Lodge ritual differing from theirs, and which is described as Antient. Mentioning such rituals compels us to come back to England so as to consider the evolution of the Craft in its original country.